Vlajic: Citizens affected by the expropriation decision were not informed, signal that anyone's property can be targeted

Lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic, who represents the citizens of Leposavic and Zubin Potok whose properties were targeted by the Kosovo Government's expropriation decisions last year, tells Kosovo Online that the new government decision, labeled as "final," was learned about through the media. He has not yet seen it, nor have the citizens whose parcels are affected been informed.

"This morning, I called both the Leposavic and Zubin Potok municipalities to see if anyone whose property is concerned had received any decision. No one has received anything. They would certainly have immediately contacted their municipalities and decided what to do. The legal deadline is very short, just a few days, and it should already have been delivered. I believe it will be soon," Vlajic says.

He adds that it is possible the decision will be published today in the Official Gazette, when it will be clear whether it includes parcels of owners who have initiated legal proceedings due to expropriation and in cases where the Basic Court annulled the preliminary government decision.

"It depends on the list of properties being expropriated. We need to see the table to identify the cadastral parcel numbers and conclude which ones are involved. However, knowing that the buildings and bases the government wanted to construct are already built, it can be concluded that it concerns the same parcels," Vlajic notes.

He also points out that there is the possibility of appealing this latest government decision.

"There is the possibility of filing a lawsuit with the competent court, and I believe that everyone will appeal because the situation regarding this problem has not changed at all. This is just one of the decisions the government in Priština, in my opinion, made under pressure to give the ongoing procedure a semblance of respect for rights and objectivity, but I don't think that exists," Vlajic says.

He emphasizes that the Serbian population, especially the people affected by these decisions, cannot come to terms with this manner of decision-making.

"This is also a signal to all of us that anyone's property can become a target of the government. Furthermore, even if the government wanted to carry out any procedures, there is enough municipal or public land in all these places where these bases could have been built, without affecting private property. I think this is a big mistake, and everyone from the outside can see that," Vlajic concludes.